Confident Korir leads Kenyan charge at Chicago Marathon
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 21: (L-R) John Korir of Kenya and his brother Wesley pose with the trophy after winning the 129th Boston Marathon Men's division on April 21, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Maddie Meyer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
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Korir, who stormed to victory last year in 2:02:44 the second-fastest time in Chicago Marathon history proved that performance was no fluke with another commanding win at the Boston Marathon earlier this year.
The 28-year-old now has his eyes on breaking the 2:01 barrier, a feat only achieved officially by the late Kelvin Kiptum, who set the world record of 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023.
“I am confident that I will be able to retain my title at the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon this October,” said Korir.
“My training is going well, and I am focused on achieving another personal best.”
Korir will be joined by a formidable field featuring five other men who have run under 2:04, including Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55), the Tokyo Marathon runner-up, and fellow Kenyans Amos Kipruto (third in Chicago last year) and CyBrian Kotut (third in Boston this year).
Also in the mix are Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, a two-time Olympic medalist, and Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the half marathon world record-holder who clocked 2:03:37 for second place at the London Marathon earlier this year.
Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor, a three-time World Half Marathon champion and two-time New York Marathon winner, also adds depth to the field.
The 32-year-old makes his Chicago debut in top form after winning the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:04:33 and the Antrim Coast Half Marathon this year.
“Going to the future, I still got big dreams of winning many major marathons. I’m still motivated and still working hard,” said Kamworor, who will be chasing a return to his marathon-winning ways on U.S soil.
A new champion will be crowned in the women’s race, with Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu (2:16:34) headlining the field.
Alemu, the Valencia Marathon champion, returns after finishing third in Chicago in 2023 and fourth in London last year.
She will face stiff competition from compatriot Hawi Feysa (2:17:00), the Frankfurt champion who was third in Tokyo and debutante Ejgayehu Taye, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist over 10,000m , also in the mix is Kenya’s Mary Ngugi-Cooper (2:20:22), and 10,000m National Champion Loice Chemnung who will make he
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